verseoftheday

Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves... Mark 6:47-48 NLT We spent a lot of time last year on this passage so won't repeat all that, but the storms of life do hit again and again right? Remember how the disciples day started? Tired and hungry they set out across the lake to get some peace and quiet. The people guessed where they were going and 10,000 people were ministered to then everyone was miraculously fed. Then Jesus sent them back across the lake. And now they're in serious trouble. In the middle of the lake In the middle of the storm In the middle of the night. Ever felt like that? And where is Jesus when you need him? All you can hear is the storm All you can feel is the rain All you can see is the darkness And in that, Jesus sees them. Alone on the land, he sees. He sees us. I know Jesus ...

Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down... Mark 6:51-52 NIV Max Lucado wrote a book called "You'll get through this". "Youll get through this. It won't be painless. It won't be quick. But God will use this mess for good. In the meantime don't be foolish or naive. But don't despair either. With Gods help you'll get through this." When we're in the storm it can seem like it will never end. It can feel overwhelming. Jesus climbed into the boat with humanity, to bring peace. One day we'll all know that, no matter what storms we've had to row through... #storms #stormsoflife #dontdespair #onedayallwillbemadenew

He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them... Mark 6:48 NIV In this storm the disciples were stuck on the boat together, but they did seem to stick together, rowed all night... When we're in the storm,  lean in to your community. You may discover resources & people that you didn't expect... And if someone you or I know is in the storm, maybe we should jump in the boat with them...it's too easy to think they've got family or friends around them, or someone else will row all night with them...but maybe they won't. I'm quite good at the half hour row, but in for the long haul? Row all night? God's love for us doesn't wane. He's with us when we trip, slip back, even push Him away. I need to love like that. #storms #stormsoflife #leanin #stickwithyourmates #love

Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Mark 6:50 NIV Don't be afraid. The word here is "phobeos". The things that debilitate us with fear. The thing that stops us in our tracks. Our phobia. My phobia. It might not bother you, but it scares me...stops me. Jesus says I can see you, I'm with you, have courage. I Am is with you, for you. So don't be afraid. Don't be bound up, held back, stopped in your tracks, I Am is on your team. #thingstorememberinthestorm #wordsofJesus #IAm #takecourage #nofear

Immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." Mark 6:50 NIV It is I ego eimi I Am. In the storm, in the darkest part of the night, when the disciples are at their limit Jesus says "I Am" is here. The eternal I Am is here. The creator I Am is here. The covenant making, covenant keeping I Am is here. In the storm Jesus wants us to know Who He Is. When we know who he is, we take courage, and there is no need to be afraid... #storms #stormsoflife #IAm #takecourage #nofear

...Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Mark 6:48-50 NIV The disciples had been alongside Jesus, seen the miracles, but still didn't get who he really was... Jesus response? He says 3 things in the storm... The first is "Take courage" The word here is "tharseo" which is about bolstering something from within, being warmed up from within, to be warm hearted... In the storm Jesus says it's not the turmoil, the drama, the pressure, the circumstances on the outside, but be warmed from within, be strengthened from within. I know about the storm. I can see you. I'm with you. Take courage #storms #stormsoflife #with #takecourage #wordsofJesus

He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake... Mark 6:48-49 NIV In the storm In the dark Been rowing all night Jesus went out to them...just before dawn when the night seems darkest, Jesus went out to them. I want to see Jesus walking on the water at the beginning. I don't want to struggle through the night, fight the waves, row for my life...but that seems to be the disciples experience... Jesus comes and finds them because he knows where they are, can see them despite the circumstances, and turns up in an unexpected way... When we're in the storm, know that Jesus sees us, can find us, and just may turn up in an unexpected way... #storms #stormsoflife #unexepected

...He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them... Mark 6:47-48 NIV How do we get stronger? Smarter? Get qualified at something? Achieve almost anything worthwhile? We go to the gym, go to school, study, read, learn, strive, even choose the difficult over the easy because it's got a longer term benefit...but for some reason we don't seem to want or expect that in our Christian walk, we don't want to strenghten our spiritual muscles, or test ourselves in the hard places, invest in difficult people or situations...but that's where our faith is strengthened...in the testing. The disciples were in the storm, in the dark, rowing all night... when we're in the storm, in the dark, rowing all night, maybe that's when we get to strengthen our spiritual muscles, to test our faith, to find out a bit more about ourselves... #storms #stormsoflife #Godsgym

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them... Mark 6:47-48 NIV The disciples...for all their failings and shortcomings, when they were in the storm, in the dark, they kept heading in the direction that Jesus sent them... My first call on God when under real pressure, testing, struggle, is for Him to fix it, to calm the storm, to get me out, to make it all better... James 1v3 says that perserveance leads to maturity... I want that too...so...the way to maturity is via testing, struggles, things that require perserveance... so...maybe as James says (Ch 1v2) that I should welcome testing?? #storms #stormsoflife #stormsarewelcome #youcantbeserious

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida... Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them... Mark 6:44-48 NIV The disciples had done exactly what Jesus had asked, and yet, now they were in the dark, in the storm... We can be in the middle of God's will for us, following his call, and still be in the storm. In this instance Jesus sent them out knowing they'd be in the storm... The storms of life are going to come, whether we venture out into areas where storms are expected,  or whether we try our best to avoid them, insulate ourselves from them, the storms of life will hit us... But as in this account, when we're in the storm, there's hope...who could see them miles out from shore, in the dark, in the storm? #storms #stormsoflife #Jesusseesus

...The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida... Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them... Mark 6:44-48 NIV The storm. The storms of life can hit us anytime, and in this case the disciples had just been part of a miraculous movement of God, where they'd fed 5000+ people with 5 loaves and 2 fish...and the next thing that happens (immediately Mark tells us) is they are in the dark, struggling in the storm. The storms of life can assail us anytime, so we shouldn't be surprised. #storms #stormsoflife